Aeroplane.



W. G. LAWSON.

ABROPLANE.

- APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1911.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915 3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

W. G. LAWSON.

AEROPLANE. APPLIOATION FILED JAN: 3, 191]. 1,127,651. f v Patented Feb.9, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES I Q [NFVT c? K M W. O. LAWSON.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1911.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3v LVII LVESS J'S WILLIAM G. LAWSON, F ROANOKE, VIRGINIA.

AnnorLANE.

Application filed January 3, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. LAWSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Roanoke, .in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia,have invented new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of which thefollowing is'a specification.

As a result of investigation and experiments in connection with; theproblems of aviation, I have reached the conclusion that there are twodistinct forces which should be used in lifting; and sustaining anaeroplane. One of these forces is the lifting power of the air on comingin contact with a moving plane set at a given angle of inclination,while the other force is the normal upward pressure of the airunderneath the plane due to the creation of rarefaction, or a partialvacuum, immediately above the same. I have also found that a properutilization of both of these forces cannot be obtained from any fixedform or curvature of plane structure. In order to obtain the greatestamount of lifting power from the first named source it is necessary thatthe underside of the plane be curved so that it will catch and press theair downward without disturbing its continuity 'or causing same to leavethesurface of the planes at angles thereto. While this curvature of theplanes is of great value in beginning and ending a flight because of itsgrip on the air as familiarly termed, it is for this very reason,inimical to s eed. In order, therefore, to obtain a big degree of speed,it is necessary, after the flight is begun to reduce the curvature ofthe plane and its resulting grip on the air until its underside presentspractically a straight surface, whereupon the resulting increase inspeed will, with proper plane structure, bring the second named forceinto use as the sustaining element.

The primary object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide amachine, in which the varying degrees of curvature of the planes whichare best adapted for lifting, speeding and landing an aeroplane, may bepractically and efiectively brought into play at the will of theoperator.-

A further and im ortant object is to provide a structure which will, inordinary air currents, maintain lateral stability automatically, andwhich will also have effective mechanical means at the command of theSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.. Serial No. 600,655.

operator for maintaining both lateral and horizontal stability.

A still further object is to provide a machine that will be strong andrigid in body structure, and yet have a degree of resilience at itsplans extremities in order that it may better accommodate itself to theVarying conditions and air currents encountered during progress throughthe air.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein I Figure l is a side elevation of anaeroplane, equipped with the improved appa ratus. Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view. Fig. l is a detailsectional view on an enlarged scale, showing the mechanism for alteringthe curvature of the elevating and supporting planes. Fig. 5 is a viewpartially in elevation and partially in section of a portion of one ofthe rock shafts and the rib operated thereby. Fig. 6 is a detail View ofone set of ribs, and indicating in dotted lines the different forms.assumed by-the plane. Fig. 7 is a detail View showing the mounting forthe ribs. Fig. 8 is a view in elevation of a rock shaft, and indicatingthe different lengths of the crank arms. 7

*Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the embodiment disclosed, a longitudinally disposed body frame 9 isemployed, preferably equipped at its front end with suitable elevatingplanes 10 which are operated by a longitudinally movable shaft 11, andprovided at its rear end with a rudder 12 that may be' actuated bycables 12 extending from the rudder and wrapped in opposite directionsupon the shaft 11, which shaft can be rotated. Supporting wheels 13 arejournaled on the frame, and the. rear portion of said frame is providedwith a, spring foot 14: A suitable engine 15 is employed, that is gearedto propeller mechanism 16. Extending on opposite sides of the body frameis a plane carryingframe, the same comprising upper spaced members 17and lower spaced members 18, these latter members inclining upwardly andoutwardly in divergent relation from the body frame, and being connectedat their outer ends to a point near the ends of the members 17. Verticalstruts 19 connect the ,upperand lower members, and crossed wire braces20 are arranged between these struts. The said struts are preferablylocated equal distances apart, and it will therefore-be evident,particularly by reference to Fig. 2, that the braces are more nearlyvertical at the body frame than at-the outer ends of the members 17 and18, As a result, the truss frame thus produced is more resilient at itsends than at its central portion. By reference to Fig. 6, it will benoted that the front and rear members 17 are connected by stationaryribs 21 so that they will remain in fixed relation.

Mounted on the upper member 17 are oppositely extending planes. Eachplane consists of upper and lower sections, the upper section havingtransverse ribs 22 covered with canvas or other suitable cloth ormaterial 23, the lower section being also provided with transverse ribs24 carrying on their under sides canvas or other covering 25. The rearportions of the ribs, as shown in Fig. 6, extend underneath and beyondthe rear members 17, to which they are pivotally mounted. The front endsof said ribs are pivoted as shown at 26 to plates 27 which plates are,in turn, pivoted, as illustrated at 28 to brackets 29 secured to thefront frame member 17.

Extending between the upper and lower sectionsof each plane is a rockshaft 30, and each rock shaft is provided at the ribs 22 and 24 withoppositely extending crank arms 31. These crank arms are connected bypins 32, on which are journaled rollers 33 that operate against theinner sides of the ribs and move in yokes 3 1 secured to said ribs. Theinner ends of the rock shafts 30 are disposed adjacent to each other,and one of the same carries a sleeve 35 in which the other rock shaftmay rotate. These adjacent ends furthermore carry actuating levers 36provided with suitable dogs 37 that cooperate with racks 38 secured tocertain of the cross bars 21. To the rear end of each pair of ribs isconnected a guy wire 39 that extends downwardly and passes over a pulley40 on the main frame, thence upwardly and forwardly being connected tothe downwardly extending crank acting on the ribs as shown at 41.

The lower frame members 18 constitute holding means for the lowersupporting and bracing planes 12, which incline upwardly and outwardlyin opposite directions toward the upper lifting planes.

Taking up now the operation of the machine, by referring to Figs. 4: and5, it will be noted that when the crank arm 31 is in a substantiallyhorizontal position, the upper plane will have a certain fixed curvatureproduced. by the combined action of the crank arms and the guy wires 39on the ribs which carry the plane surface covering. ()n the other hand,when the rock shaft is the specification. That is to say, when themachine is at a standstill, and it is desired to start it and elevateit, the planes are placed in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 6,in which case the grip of the air is depended upon to cause theelevation of the machine. In other words, the planes will then, on beingforced forward at comparatively slow speed, merely glide over the inertbody of air beneath them depending for buoyancy on the angle ofinclination. As the speed increases, however, and it is desired tosecure rarefaction of air above the planes, and at the same timedecrease the friction on their under surfaces, the crank arms 31 aremoved toward vertical positions, and as a result, the upper section ofthe plane surface will be given a greater curvature, while the lower orunder surface will be made more nearly fiat, and its angle ofinclination proportionately reduced. This lessening of the angle ofinclination will cause the machine as a whole to assume a morehorizontal position, thereby causing the front portion of the upperplane surface to incline upwardly and produce a partial vacuum in theair directly in the rear of such front portion, and above the planes asa whole, while there will be no material counteracting friction beneath.The creation of this partial vacuum above the planes proper will causethe planes to be supported by the resulting atmospheric pressure beneaththem, and therefore a greater lifting power is secured, and a higherrate of speed obtained, from a given amount of propeller force ordriving power. It will also be noted that the variation in curvature canbe effected in both planes simultaneously or in each planeindependently, andconsequently the operator can increase or decrease thelifting and resisting power of either plane which may be necessary tosecure lateral stability or facilitate turning.

By reference to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the ribs are of differentlengths and that the planes are wider at their intermediate portionsthan at their ends. It therefore follows that in order to effect aproper and uniform variation in curvature, the different ribs must bebent at different degrees, according to their lengths. This result issecured by having the crank arms 31 of different lengths, as is shown inFig. 8. The lower planes are employed more particularly for twopurposes. They act in the first place as supports, to the upper them infixed relation at all times,

planes, and in the second place as stabilizing members. This will beevident when it is considered that if the machine tilts laterally, oneor the other of the lower planes will be brought more nearly to ahorizontal position, and'will consequently produce a greater bearingsurface upon the air, while the opposite plane, moving to a more nearlyvertical position, presents less supporting area, thereby causing themachine to right itself.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation andmany advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art,

without-further description, and it will be I understood thatvariouschanges in the size, shape, proport on and minor details ofconstruction, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my-invention, what.

I claim as new, and desire Letters Patent, is-

1. In an aeroplane, the combination with a frame having front and rearsupports located in spaced relation to each other, of means connectingthe supports for holding a plane mounted at its front end on the frontsupport and having an intermediate portion mounted on the rear support,and means engaged with the plane between the supports for varying thecurvature of the same between and in rear of the supports whilemaintaining a fixed distance between the supports.

2. In an aeroplane, the combination with to secure by a frame havingfront and rear supports, of a plane comprising upper and lower sectionshaving a common pivotal connection at their front ends with the frontsupport and extending on opposite sides of the rear support, and meansfor varying the curvatureof the plane. I

3. In an aeroplane, the combination with a support, of a plate pivotedthereto between its ends, upper and lower plane sections pivoted to theplate on opposite sides of its pivot, a rock shaft extending between thesections, and crank arms carried by the shaft and engaging both sectionsfor moving them toward and from each other.

4. In an aeroplane, the combination with spaced relatively fixed planesurface supports, of a plate pivoted between its ends to one of thesupports, upper and lower'ribs pivoted to the plate on opposite sides ofthe pivot and slidably engaging the other support, a rock shaftextending between the ribs, and arms'carried by the shaft and engagedwith the ribs.

5. In an aeroplane, a plane including upper and lower sections, eachsection having a plurality of bendable ribs of different lengths, a rockshaft extendin between the sections and crank arms of di erent lengthscarried by the rock shaft and engaging the ribs for bending the same.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing.

witnesses.

WILLIAM C. LAWSON. Witnesses:

J. A. JACKSON,

WILLIAM M. Wns'r.

